Into the Open Air
by Sierrah Pena
Summary: Takes place after ANGEL. Max and Fang are seemingly drifting further away, but when fortune forces them together once again, would love prevail?


**Hi everyone. This is actually the first fanfic I've ever written so I hope you like it. Let me know what you think.**

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><p><span>CHAPTER ONE<span>

The fire crackled beside me, sounding almost upset, as I shifted my wings ever so slightly. My thick jacket did its best, trying to keep me warm, but we (my flock and I) were, after all, in the desert, and the nights were just as bitter with cold as with heat during the day. I was on guard duty, opting to take the night shift for the mere reason that I wanted to think, without the distractions of being the leader of a flock.

Don't get me wrong. I love heading theflock. My flock. It was just one of those things that had just been mine for as long as I knew and it was a comforting thought, for me. Not many others would understand. Not the White Coats (the evil scientists that had granted us our 98% human DNA and 2% avian. Hence the wings), nor Jeb (who had just taken advantage of the fact that I had considered him like a father) and as of recently, not even my own mother.

It hurt me. It was as though someone had shot a bullet straight through my heart, and _that _had nearly happened before. But this pain was different. I couldn't sleep, I refused to eat, and worse yet, in my moments of silence like this, I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. Me? Maximum Ride, crying? But it happened. I was 98% a girl anyhow... a teenager... with the future of the world resting on my wings.

Maybe it would have been better if I had some security. But in the past, whenever I had felt that comfort, it disappeared. First Jeb, then _Fang, _and finally, my mother. A couple of weeks ago, the flock had taken an unanimous decision: That we'd never trust another adult again. So far... the policy was working well. But with Fang...

He was my brother, my best friend, my first love. And now... he was just... gone... Maybe after France... but no. He left with _his _flock. The one with the Gen 77 kids and Max II, Maya... Still trying to get over that... But we had parted as friends... He had said we'd get into touch if my assistance was needed... but now, they seemed like empty words. It didn't matter. Nothing even mattered. He left me when my heart was bleeding, when I felt I needed him the most. How could he think that I'd be fine with Dylan... That my heart would miraculously heal... Yeah right.

And then there was Angel, my baby, who gave up her life to save so many others. _I trust you Max. _Her words still found themselves in my mind. I often wondered why those particular ones, but nowadays, I seemed to need them more.

I broke out of my reverie hearing movement behind me. I didn't even need to look back to know who it was. _Dylan. _He slumped down, in a sitting position next to me, attempting to touch my hand. I refused to meet his gaze. Call me stubborn.

"Max," he whispered, "I need to talk to you."

"About what?" I said, through clenched teeth. I didn't mean to sound rude, but talking to him now, after France, when he had seemed so casual as Fang left, it strained our relationship. He didn't understand how I had felt... so why should I attempt to let him in my heart?

"About Angel."

I turned to look at him at that, my eyes burning with the tears that threatened to fall. He was making me emotional... and it was reason enough to slap him.

"W...What about?"

"You worry about her, don't you?"

I stood suddenly, teeth clenched. Did he really just ask that? I lost my baby, and he was wondering if I worried about her! Was he serious? "Well, duh," I hissed.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Max. It's just that... I worry about you." His voice had gone surprisingly gentle. "You look ill, and you still have SO much on your shoulders."

"So what... Are you going to make a point now?"

"I want you to know that _I'm _here for you, Max, even if there's no one else..."

"If you're talking about Fang..." I was mad now, and terribly tempted to hit him. What was stopping me? Maybe he was right?

I sighed and slumped onto the ground. Dylan seemed surprised that I did that. A reaction that I wanted to see. "Dylan..." I said, feeling the word in my mouth as though for the first time, "You're a nice guy and everything, but, please, if just for me, understand that I love Fang, understand that I can never forget him, and most of all, understand that I'll only ever be able to think of you like a brother."

"But Fang was your so-called brother before... you fell in love," he added with a whisper.

I was stumped now. He was right, of course.

"You're afraid of falling in love again?"

"I. Don't. Know," I said, punctuating each word by throwing a stone a good distance away.

"Of course you do." His voice had dropped to a whisper.

"Please Dylan... I can't. I don't talk emotion."

"I know, Max, but it's necessary now. Your baby is... gone... and so is Fang. You saw him with Maya. He was happy."

"You can't know that. Fang hides his emotions too."

"But at least he was trying to move on. Unlike you.

"You have to save the world Max. And if there's one thing I'm sure of, you can't do it with a broken heart."

Dylan stood and I watched him as he rose. "It will take some time, but don't forget I'm here. Always, by your side. When you feel able, tell me when you'd be willing to love me. It doesn't have to be bad Max... I mean, we _don't _have to kiss every moment we're with each other, but try to love me, the way you do with Iggy, and Nudge, and Gazzy. I'll be waiting..."

He left me on the ground with tears running down my face, trying my best not to make a sound, for the sake of not waking the flock. He had touched the emotional side of Maximum Ride... the side that was craving that constant love and need for support... the side that was thus far, only touched by Fang...

**FANG'S POV**

It was comforting to be home at last. Home... away from Max? It was _comforting_ that we at least had comfy couched to sleep on, unlike the desert floor, but the warm feeling that used to rest into in my heart was no longer there. There was no one, not really, to share my happiness with.

Sure Maya was cool, but now, despite the fact that I desperately tried to fight the feeling, just seeing here reminded me of the girl I had first loved.

_How could you stop loving me?_

Max's words flashed across my mind. I struggled to get them out. No longer did I try to tell the difference between both girls. No longer did I have a desire to try. To see Maya not, just brought back memories of Max.

I curled myself on a chair, my laptop where it was designed to be. The cell phone in my top shirt pocket seemingly weighed a tonne, as though wishing me to dial the first number on my speed dial list: Max. I didn't even bother to take it out. Calling her now, would just hurt her even more.

I thought it would be better this way, better for us to be apart... for the world. But then Dylan came. Max's perfect half.

She would fall in love with him in time. I saw that much in France. And I couldn't fault her, just myself.

I stood by my decision to stay apart to save the world but deep inside I knew I shouldn't have left here, not like that, when she was just barely coming out of her denial of Angel's death.

Yet it was a good thing too in one regard. I would have never left if not at that moment.

...

My iGoogle homepage opened before my eyes: The photo of flying hawks over a hilltop. I sighed remembering the letter I had written not so long ago:

_Tell you what sweetie: if in twenty years we haven't expired yet, and the world is still more or less in one piece, I'll meet you at the top of that cliff where we first met the hawks and learned to fly with them. You know the one. Twenty years from today, if I'm still alive, I'll be there waiting for you._

The picture was a testament to my past and a reminder to my promise.

I clicked the link on the top most toolbar, which would lead to Google News. As the page loaded, I looked up, over the screen and watched my sleeping flock, my eyes lingering on Maya. Everyone seemed content, unlike me, who was tainted by the complications of love. . .

I broke out of my reverie with the soft beeping of the computer.

"122 results found for One Light," I saw printed clearly at the top of the screen.

"Darn, they've been busy," I scowled as I opened the first. But at least I now had a lead.


End file.
